17 May 15111
My dear Laina,2
I have decided that while Mother and Father are taking us on a trip to visit our Scottish relatives, I shall write to you everything that is happening. I cannot trust anyone else to keep my thoughts secret and not tell anyone what I shall tell you. You are my closest friend, and I know that whatever happens, you will be surreptitious with my words. 3
We arrived in Dumfries yesterday, which is just across the border, and I have just finished unpacking my clothes. Mother says that my clothes are a disgrace and that if I don’t straighten up and start looking for a husband, I shall never enrich the family. Just because I like to go outside and play knife games with the servant lads doesn’t mean that I can’t be a lady when I want to! I can be as elegant and formal as Maeve any day. I know that she is eighteen and married to Lord Charles of Leicester and has three babes of her own and still manages to be a gracious hostess and a perfect gentlewoman, but I’m not the same girl that she is, even if we are sisters.4
I like to run, and sing, and play tricks on my nurse—even if I am almost sixteen! I know that most girls my age are married, but there are so few unmarried men of the correct background, breeding, and money that Mother cannot find any that suit both her and Father. Unfortunately, what I think doesn’t come into consideration. 5
I think that Mother’s main reason for bringing me on this trip is to have me meet a friend of my uncle’s. Arthur of Ross is a brother of my mother’s sister’s husband, and he told Mother that the latest young chieftains are plenty old enough to be married and that it might serve the family well if I were to marry into one of the oldest families in Scotland. I don’t care how old the family is—if the young men in Scotland look or act like Nigel, Lord Hereford’s son, I will run away and drown myself in the Firth of Forth before I marry them! Remember how Nigel used to chase you and try to kiss you? We always ended up apologizing to his mother for slapping him when he came too close to you, but it was worth it to see that look on his face. I guess that being beaten by two girls in fair combat isn’t the thing to improve a boy’s self-confidence.6
Well, I have to go now and get dressed for supper as Mother is calling me and telling me to make sure and wash the ink off my hands before I change. Write soon!7
Your loving friend,8
Katriona of Huntingdon9
21 May 151110
Dearest Katriona,11
I agree that we should write of all our doings, for we on day in the future, come across this correspondence and have a few good laughs. This is looking to be one very uncommon year with you gone and all.12
Things here are quite normal. Madame Pricilla is trying to teach me to crochet...again (I don't know why she bothers when everyone knows I am pathetic at it compared to you.) Henry is growing more obsessed with disproving Columbus by the day; I am afraid he is going to try to sail off the edge of the earth in the boat he built last year (if you can even call it a boat.) Sometimes I wonder how I became more sensible than my older brother. Richard, on the other hand, though only ten, is already halfway to becoming a scholar, the way he is spouting dissertations at the dinner table.13
With you gone I am forced to make daily rounds about the garden listening to nonsense from Marie. Who knew Nigel's sister could resemble him so? And I was so hoping she would turn out to be a little more like us, in a manner of speaking.14
I completely sympathize with you on the subject of your marriage. Madame Priscilla is dropping what she thinks are subtle hints in my direction, trying to get me out more. We are engaged to go to a ball in a fortnight, and I am to go to the dressmaker's tomorrow. This time I am going to make positively sure I acquire a dress that I may dance in easily, for you know that is what I love. I shall write to you of the party after it has occurred.15
As of now, I hope you made your trip comfortably. Your mother need not stress over the state of your clothes, I am sure they look just fine. I hope you find your relatives quite compromising.16
Missing you much,17
Elaine18
Author notes
These are the first and second letters in a series of letters that are being written in Letter Game format by my friend Storm and myself. Storm has said that I may post them here. My character is Kat, hers is Laina. The books "Sorcery and Cecelia" and "The Grand Tour" are written in the same fashion by Patricia C. Wrede and another author.
The Letter Game is when two people make up characters and set them up in a time period, though far enough away from each other geographically that they cannot visit and must write to each other. The characters correspond by letter, telling of the events of their days, and, by doing this, end up writing a story together, which is planned separately by each of their puppet masters.
If you liked this first letter, respond and tell me so, and I will post more.
What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
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Yes, I do know that, but as my friend is not very good at writing in Middle English, and, as you say, very few would be able to understand what the characters were saying, it is much easier to simply not use words that had no correspondent in that time period. I have tried, when possible, to use the archaic words unless they are now obsolete, or so far from the original meaning that the sentance's meaning would be misconstrued.
~Amanda -
Bravo@
Both are well written with a flare for the past (however as I'm certain you are aware the English that was spoken and written in the 16 century was a good deal different that you have it hear, but then very few would read, or could read that prose. Very well written indeed...where will it all lead?
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